Episode 1491 (19 August 1997)
Synopsis Peggy is stuck in Spain due to the air traffic control strike there, and Tiffany panics about the blessing as Peggy has made the arrangements. Huw and Lenny decide to squat in Tony and Simon's old flat. Irene asks Sarah what she's doing and Sarah says she is going out with Joe that evening. Irene's immediate reaction is that she hopes Sarah uses condoms. Sarah is embarrassed and flustered and says they don't do that, and she believes that she should wait until marriage. Irene asks where she got that idea from and Sarah says the church. Irene is horrified that Sarah has been brainwashed by religion. She confides to Tony that she hopes it's not one of those cults. Tony reassures her but then she asks him about his girlfriends. He says it's not that simple, but bottles out of telling her at the last minute. He goes out and Simon gives him an ultimatum - that he is serious about moving out. Tony goes home and tells Irene that Simon is not just a friend, and he loves him, and they are gay. Irene is horrified again, and says it's a nightmare, she leaves them to Ted and look what happens - he's turned gay. Michael visits his mother and is told off yet again about his ex-wife and son. He says that it was her fault as she is the one who had the affair and it was simpler for the boy not to be confused if he left them alone. His mother tells him his ex-wife is ill and her brother is looking after Michael's son, so perhaps he should make an effort to contact them. Ian goes to the market and mentions in passing that Mark is obviously busy, because of the day being Arthur's birthday. Mark had forgotten, so he hastily visits the allotment to find Pauline there and apologises for refusing to come to dinner that night, but they are busy with a foster meeting and also a speedway meeting. They visit the grave. Tiffany and Simon discuss their father after the flowers Tiffany has received from him. Simon lets slip that he's still a drunk and Tiffany asks how he knows, and Simon has to admit that he visited and they hadn't told her. Grant tells Kathy about Paris and she asks Phil why he didn't tell her. He says he hadn't finalised the arrangements yet. Tiffany confronts Grant about not telling her about her father, and she says she's quite capable of handling it, their family have always had to look after themselves. Grant tells her that's his job now, so she doesn't need to any more. Phil and Grant argue about Phil not telling Kathy that they are joining Tiffany & Grant in Paris, then Phil asks what Tiffany thinks and Grant admits he hasn't told her yet either. Mark arranges to meet Ricky at the speedway at 7 but Ruth says it will be a rush after the foster meeting. Later Mark feels ill and cries off the foster parent meeting. Ricky comes round to his house at 7 and wakes him up, so Mark can't really refuse to go with him, and Ruth turns up at the speedway later with a bitchy remark about Mark suddenly feeling better, but he hadn't thought the foster meeting was important enough to bother with. Huw and Lenny are there, and Lenny is still lusting after Bianca, while pestering her for his money back as well. Tony goes home and Irene apologises to him for her reaction about him being gay. She then makes it worse by saying it's just a phase and she's his mother, she knows he's not gay. They argue yet again. The ASRA meeting is held and Pat gets roped into following up the newsletters and asking the various bodies they sent it to for reactions. Credits Main cast *Tiffany Mitchell - Martine McCutcheon *Huw Edwards - Richard Elis *Lenny Wallace - Desune Coleman *Irene Hills - Roberta Taylor *Sarah Hills - Daniela Denby-Ashe *Tony Hills - Mark Homer *Simon Raymond - Andrew Lynford *Michael Rose - Russell Floyd *Ian Beale - Adam Woodyatt *Pauline Fowler - Wendy Richard *Grant Mitchell - Ross Kemp *Kathy Mitchell - Gillian Taylforth *Phil Mitchell - Steve McFadden *Ruth Fowler - Caroline Paterson *Ricky Butcher - Sid Owen *Bianca Butcher - Patsy Palmer Category:Episode Category:1997 Episodes